Method of



UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD CLARK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WIM. H, DOLSON, OF SAME PLACE.

METHOD OF APPLYING AND SECURING THE HEADS OF SHEET-METAL CANS OR KEGS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 21,796, dated October 12, 1858.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD CLARK, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Method of Applying and Securing the I-Ieads of Sheet- Metal Cans or Kegs for Paint and other Substances; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same. reference being had to the` accompanying drawings, making part fof this specification, in whichm lFigure 1. is a central section of an iron paint keg. with one of the heads detached. Fig. is a section of the same keg, with the heads closed up.

Similar letters of reference, indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

The object of this invention is to close the heads of sheet metal cans, or kegs suiiiciently tight to enable them to contain paint, or other substances, without the use of solder.

The invention consists in forming a projection all round the interior of the body of the can, near the top and bottom thereof, by forming a groove around the exterior, and dropping the heads on to these projections, and turning the edges of the body over them. In this way, the heads may be tightly secured without solder, and the use of untinned sheet iron is permitted, and a sufliciently durable can, or keg is produced, at a Jfar less cost than a tin can, or wooden keg.

A, is the body of the keg, which I propose to make of untinned sheet iron, on account of its cheapness. The side seam may be made with a single lock, and closed without solder. n.. o are the projections around the interior of the can, for the heads of the cans to rest against, formed by depressing grooves around the exterior. These projections a. o. are at such a distance from the ends of the body, that when the heads B, B, are inserted as far as the said projections,

there Will be enough met/al outside of them to turn over their edges. The heads B, B,

may be made of cast iron, wood, or stout' drawing, which represents cast iron heads;

and one of them can be broken by one, or two smart blows of a hammer, when it is desired to open the can. The heads should be made to fit snugly within the body, and when they are put in, they are secured by hammering the edges of the body over them, all the way around by a light hammer, which. owing to the yielding nature of sheet iron, forces the head close to the projection a. (z. all around: and if, by reason of any slight irregularity of form, there should be any failure to make a tight joint around the projection a., a, the external lap is sure to make a tight joint.

Cans, or kegs made in this manner, are superior for containing paint (for which purpose I more particularly intend to use them) to wooden kegs; as the latter being absorbent, suck up a considera-ble portion of the oil from the paint; and my cans are found in practice to be as good as tin cans, while they are much cheaper than those, or the wooden kegs.

7 hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

Attaching, and securing the heads to the sheet metal body of the can, or keg, by forming a projection a, around the interior, near each end of such body, in the manner described, for the heads to rest against, and

turning the edges of the body over the heads, after the insertion of the latter, substantially as herein set forth.

EDWARD CLARK. fitnesses C. SYDNEY WHITEHEAD, DANIEL WILLIS. 

